Paul Danove, «The Rhetoric of the Characterization of Jesus as the Son of Man and Christ in Mark», Vol. 84 (2003) 16-34

This article investigates the semantic and narrative rhetoric of Mark’s characterization of the Son of Man and the Christ and the contribution of the portrayal of the Son of Man to the portrayal of the Christ. An introductory discussion considers the role of repetition in characterization, the nature of semantic and narrative frames and their implications for describing the implied reader of Mark, and the rhetorical strategies apparent in characterization. The study of characterization investigates the manner in which the semantic and narrative rhetoric introduces and reinforces frequently discordant content concerning the Son of Man and Christ and then relates developments concerning the Son of Man to the Christ. The study concludes with a consideration of the narrative function of the characterizations of the Son of Man and Christ.

3. Structural Repetition

        Structural repetition of 8,31–9,1, 9,30-41, and 10,32-45, links the repeated predictions (8,31-32a; 9,30-32; 10,32-34), controversies (8,32b-33; 9,33-34; 10,35-41), and teachings (8,34–9,1; 9,35-41; 10,42-45). This repeated structure relates cultivated beliefs about the Son of Man’s near future experience and activity and his parousaic identity and activity in two ways. First, the initial and third teachings coordinate and relate statements about the Son of Man’s parousaic identity and activity in coming in his father’s glory with the holy angels (8,38) and his near future experience and activity in not being served but serving (diakone/w) and giving his life as a ransom for many (10,45). Second, the initial occurrence of this structure relates the Son of Man’s near future experience and activity (prediction) to his parousaic identity and activity (teaching) in such a manner that the Son of Man who suffers, is rejected, is killed, and rises (8,31) is precisely the Son of Man who comes in his father’s glory (8,38). Structural repetition then ensures that all of the progressively augmented contradictory content of the predictions is related to the parousaic identity and activity of the Son of Man. The fact that 8,38–9,1 constitutes the initial occurrence of 8,38–9,1, 13,24-27, and 14,60-65 also ensures that the totality of the contradictory content about the Son of Man’s near future experience and activity is related to the totality of the sophisticated content about his parousaic identity and activity.

        This repeated structure simultaneously cultivates beliefs concerning the relationship between the Son of Man and those who would be disciples of Jesus. The fulcrum of this development is Jesus’ statement, "For whoever is ashamed of me and my words...the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in the glory of his father with the holy angels" (8,38). The structural linkage of the first prediction (8,31-32a), whose content contradicts pre-existing beliefs, to the first controversy (8,32b-33), which presents Peter’s apparent rejection of this content, and their linkage to the first teaching (8,34–9,1) interprets the Son of Man’s near future experience and activity as the content of Jesus’ words and identifies Peter’s rejection of this content as an instance of being ashamed of Jesus and his words. The first teaching also relates the coming of the Son of Man and the coming of God’s reign (9,1) and interprets the Son of Man’s being ashamed in terms of failing to see God’s reign come in power. The linked beliefs concerning the Son of Man’s near future experience and activity and his parousaic identity and activity constitutes a strong warrant for accepting the contradictory